JC: You can't fault the Wild for losing to the Mighty Ducks and they never lost a playoff series at 3-0 ever in their lone playoff year three years ago. For one thing, the Ducks have a goaltender who was just simply hot at the right time in J.S. Giguere (man is it me or has he fallen off the radar). Second, this team was clearly exhuasted taking two great teams in the Avalanche and the Canucks to 7 games and won. That was a great season. I am annoyed the Wild are cheap, cheap, and cheap when it comes to not getting players who can take the franchise to the next step like Amonte, McCarthy, and others. The Wild sellout every night at the XCel Energy Center and they make a lot of money with merchandises and others yet they can't use that money to keep their best players like Brunette or Richard Park or get players to take the next step. It took the Wild till January three years ago to resign Marian Gaborik as he was a holdout. The Wild like to talk a good game about being the best franchise in hockey, but their action does not speak for itself. That's too bad because they got the best coach in hockey in Jacques Lemaire.
Twins should have beaten the Yankees couple of years ago in the playoffs. Twins played the Yankees tough. Unfortunately, that idiot Ron Gardenhire screwed up in a lot of ways like leaving a very tired Joe Nathan in the fifthteenth inning to save a game or taking Johan Santana out after five innings on elimination game because he wants to protect his arm. Gardenhire just got outmanaged as he is prone to do at games. He has no idea how to use his players in the right situation unlike his predecessor, Tom Kelly, who was great at that. Twins had a great team last year, but Gardenhire did a lousy job getting the most out of them. Let's face it. Gardy is a good person, but he inherited a very good team. Now that everyone has left, he is exposed as a lousy manager. He might be the worse manager in the division and he might be the worst manager in baseball. He won't be fired as long as Montgomery Burns err Pohlad owns the team. Pohlad loves Gardy especially since he is a Minnesota resident. I feel awful for guys like Johan, Torii Hunter, Joe Mauer, and Joe Nathan. They deserve better. I am glad Jacque Jones is gone because now he can win a championship with the Cubs.
Timberwolves had a great playoff run couple of years ago. Had Sam Cassell not gotten hurt, they beat the Lakers and likely win a championship. Last year was supposed to be their year, but unfortunately age, injuries, greed, internal strife, and others hurt the Timberwolves to the point that they miss the playoffs. Cassell wasn't happy with his contract and Latrell aged. It was just bad. Now this franchise is in square one and they will likely rebuild from scratch since this team is over the cap not to mention no free agent wants to come to Minnesota because of its winters. Kevin McHale is the Matt Millen of the NBA. No clue what the hell he is doing. Some of his moves is beyond bad like drafting the hopeless, Nududi Ebi over Josh Howard , who has excelled in Dallas or bypassing Richard Hamilton for this loser, Will Avery. It's on and on and on with McHale. Also McHale let Bobby Jackson and Chauncey Billups walk without compensation. McHale has done a lousy job as a GM. He is as successful as Isiah Thomas.
I could live with the Vikings losing to the Super Bowl. They got there. The 1998 season was frustrating. They were a play away from going to the Super Bowl and playing the Broncos till Gary Andersen missed that FG not to mention the Vikings screwed up with the knee. I haven't been that dissapointed with the Vikings with the exception of the Mike Tice Error. Vikings really haven't dissapointed me that much unlike most Vikings fans.
You forgot to mention the Gophers, JC. The Gophers football team has done okay with what they have to work with. It would be nice to get to a January 1st game one day before I die. The Gophers basketball team gave us a good ride in 1997 till they get caught having someone do their homework which left Clem Haskins to leave in disgrace. The lady Gophers basketball team have been good though under Pam Borton's leadership.
Minnesota sports teams can be frustrating, but I am also proud to be a MN Sports fan.
